'Chalk on his boots' - Muted Leeds United signing tipped for Elland Road impact amid major manager praise

Anthony and Sinisterra traded places on transfer deadline day, the former swapping AFC Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium for Elland Road in the small hours of the morning on September 2.

Heading the other way, Colombian international Sinisterra dominated the headlines, finally getting his loan move after complex wrangling with the Leeds hierarchy over a reported clause in the 24-year-old’s contract.

Leeds were keen not to leave themselves short-changed from a squad standpoint and negotiated a swap deal which saw Anthony arriving in the opposite direction.

The 23-year-old Bournemouth academy graduate’s signing has gone under-the-radar somewhat, with many Whites supporters choosing to focus their thoughts on losing Sinisterra, who had begun the 2023/24 campaign in sterling form.

Former Cherries correspondent and current Premier League reporter for The Athletic, Jacob Tanswell believes Anthony can have a significant impact at Elland Road, though.

"Jaidon Anthony has played all throughout pre-season, he played [out of position] at right-back, on the wings.

"He’s actually probably one of the few from Scott Parker’s team that has been able to perform consistently and be in the team consistently for the last three managers.

"I think he made 45 out of 46 appearances in the Championship [as Bournemouth were promoted], very consistent, in his first full season in the EFL and he took to it like a duck to water. Very malleable in terms of, if someone tells him to do a job defensively or offensively, he did it. I think that was one of the reasons why he was so popular,” Tanswell says.

Anthony started three of Bournemouth’s four opening fixtures in the league and cup this season and Tanswell admits he was surprised that the ex-Arsenal academy player was used as a makeweight in the Sinisterra swap deal.

The winger scored three Premier League goals last season and the year prior, as Bournemouth went up under Parker, Anthony netted eight times, picking up a further six assists.

"Him and [left-back] Jordan Zemura in the Championship season were probably the most important combination in that team, they were ridiculous bombing on, going forward.

"I think for Leeds in the Championship, I’d probably argue that he’s going to be more effective than Sinisterra, although Sinisterra is better, I think in the Championship [Anthony] is much more consistent and you know what you’re going to get.”

Sinisterra struggled with injury throughout his first season at Elland Road and question marks remained over his fitness during pre-season this year. Had the Colombian been able to remain fit during Leeds’ relegation campaign, it is probable the team would not have finished on the meagre points tally they posted on the final day.

While Sinisterra is also capable of playing infield as a No. 10, Anthony is much more of an out-and-out winger, Tanswell says.

"Under Scott Parker, he’d have to stay out wide, he’d have to get chalk on his boots, as you say. Then, as soon as the ball was switched, him and Zemura were on the underlaps, overlaps, [they] formed passing triangles with Philip Billing.

"One of the things Scott Parker said to me once is that Jaidon Anthony is one of the most intelligent pressers and one-v-one defensive wingers,” Tanswell adds.

At 23 years old, Anthony is expected to find plenty in common with the Leeds dressing room which currently takes on a rather youthful appearance. Daniel Farke’s starting line-up against Salford City in the Carabao Cup Second Round was comprised of ten outfield players aged 24-or-under.

While the fanfare surrounding Anthony’s arrival was somewhat muted, appraisals from the south coast suggest Leeds may not have been so hard done by in losing Sinisterra so late in the window, particularly if he is able to replicate his link-up down the left with the likes of Junior Firpo and Sam Byram in 2023/24.